Saturday, November 27, 2010

Ulfr and Caoimhe king and queen of drachenwald announce by these presents that for her skills in the arts particularly in weaving we create our subject Iida Juhanantytar a member of our Order of the Panache, with all the rights and responsibilities appertaining thereto. Done on the 27th day of November, a.s. 45.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

The design is based on British Library MS Harley 2793 f.33, from the first half of the 9th century. This was my first attempt at doing a zoomorphic initial. I didn't quite capture the look of despair on the fish's face, or the bored look on the duck, but I'm still pretty happy with how it turned out.

The text reads:

By these words let the will of Ulfr and Caoimhe, king and queen of Drachenwald be known. We have not only heard many testiments of the deeds of our subject Kathryne Elizabeth Gordon but also seen them with our own eyes. We wish to reward this service by making the said Kathryne a member of our Orden des Lindquistringes in witness of all she has rendered to us. This we do on the 4th day of December, a.s. xlv, at Yule Ball in our shire of Flintheath.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Ulfr and Caoimhe, king and queen of drachenwald, to all the dukes, counts, barons, lords, and gentles of this kingdom, greetings and salutations. Let it be known that we have not only by the testimony of many worthy and credible gentles but also by our own witness been informed and acquainted of the many skills and deeds in the arts and sciences displayed by our subject Åsa Vävare. In recognition we make the said Åsa a member of our Order of the Panache, with all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges appertaining thereto, and so that all may know of her excellence, of her knowledge, and of her prowess in these matters we charge her to bear the badge of the order, issuant to chief from a torteau charged with a bezant pierced sable three feathers gules, Or, and sable, depicted more plainly below. So that none may contest this our will we the said king and queen have witnessed these presents on the 11th day of December, a.s. xlv, being the Feast of Saint Lucia.

The initial was illuminated by Lord Arnaut de Najac at Kingdom University. The calligraphy was done Nov. 18 and 19, and I painted in the badge on Nov. 19.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The exemplar is MS Codex San-Florianensis III,1, fol. 43v, an 11th C manuscript. Nov. 1, I drew out the lines and the initial, painted the green and blue, and wrote the incipit. Nov. 2, I did the gold, red, and white, and wrote the text, and Nov. 4, I calligraphed it while at the Gothenburg airport. Here are some photos of combat scribing:

Great and numerous attestations of the actions of our subject Sophie have we heard, and it pleases us. Know by these presents that we recognize the virtue and dignity of the abovesaid Sophie. We raise her to the rank of lady and assign to her the rights to such arms as she shall register with the College of Arms. No one prohibit Sophie from displaying those arms, or we shall be mad.